This invention is directed to a composite paddle rim for a game paddle and, in particular, to a protective rim for protecting the periphery of the blade portion of a game paddle by securing a metal element and a resilient flexible bumper bonded thereto to the periphery of a paddle blade.
While game paddles for playing sports requiring close contact between the participants, such as paddle ball, platform tennis and the like, have taken on various forms, wooden paddles, wherein the blade portion is formed of a plurality of laminated layers having throughholes formed therein are preferred by most players due to the playability and sensitivity provided by the laminated wood layers. In order to protect the edges of the laminated layers from being particularly damaged by extended play, in particular, when the edges of the blade portion strike the walls or floor of the court upon which the game is played, protective metal rims have been provided in order to protect the end edge of the paddle from the rapid deterioration likely to be caused by continuous play.
Although such metal rims have been found to protect the periphery of the blade portion for a considerable length of time, a problem that often occurs in such paddles is that the metal rims, upon being struck, cause exposed edges to be formed, such edges often being particularly sharp and/or jagged. As an alternative to a rim formed entirely of metal, a resilient rim formed entirely of rubber or the like has been attempted, but such attempts have been less than completely satisfactory.
Specifically, a resilient protective rim, although not forming sharp and jagged edges during continued use, also is incapable of protecting the periphery of the paddle blade for a sufficient length of time when compared with the duration of time that protection is afforded by a metal rim. The short duration of time that protection is offered by a rubber rim is a result of the difficulties encountered in effecting a secure bond between rubber and wood. The inability to obtain a secure bond between the rubber and wood results in a rapid breaking up of the bond between the rubber protective layer and the wood surface during continuous play thereby rendering unsatisfactory the use or rubber protective layers on wood paddles to protect the peripheral surface of the paddle blade.